


Monachopsis

by AlannaofRoses



Series: 12 Days of Batfam Stocking Fics [12]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Brother Feels, Dead Robin(s) (DCU), Gen, References to Forever Evil, actually talking to each other, references to (multiple) major character deaths, references to Spyral
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-31
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:34:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22042651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlannaofRoses/pseuds/AlannaofRoses
Summary: Jason makes one comment too many about Dick's 'fake' death, and Tim decides to set the record straight. Jason and Damian talk to their brother.
Relationships: Dick Grayson & Damian Wayne, Dick Grayson & Jason Todd, Tim Drake & Dick Grayson & Jason Todd & Damian Wayne
Series: 12 Days of Batfam Stocking Fics [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1563496
Comments: 9
Kudos: 481
Collections: Batfam Christmas Stocking 2019





	Monachopsis

**Author's Note:**

  * For [reisling](https://archiveofourown.org/users/reisling/gifts).



> This series is all the fics I completed for the 2019 Batfam Christmas Stocking exchange. All are unconnected one shots based on prompts given by the recipient. They are in no particular order, they were uploaded as I finished them. Enjoy!
> 
> The prompt I chose for this was Being Robin Gives Me Magic. I have to apologize to Reisling here, because this took a completely different turn than I was expecting. My fluffy, funny Dead Robin's Society fic turned into an angsty fic where the boys actually talk to each other and address emotions and stuff. Maybe someday I'll write the sequel to this where all three (four? Tim's technically included now, right?) of them have a typical DRS meeting with brotherly shenanigans. Hope you still enjoy, Reisling.

The annual museum fundraiser was in full swing, and for once, all five Wayne children were in attendance. 

Tim was mingling with his business contacts, never one to miss a prime networking opportunity. Dick was charming the various ladies of Gotham’s high society as he usually did. Cass and Damian were sticking close together, using each other as shields from the too-friendly people. Jason had staked out a spot near the buffet table where he could see the whole room just by turning his head a bit. Old habits died hard, and he hadn’t been back for all that long.

This many people still made him itchy.

He was contemplating the merits of a creme puff over a miniature brownie when he sensed a person next to him. He hadn’t heard them approach, so that meant it was one of the Bats. 

He turned to face Dick, one of each of the desserts held in his hand.

Dick took the creme puff, popping it into his mouth whole. “Thanks.”

“Sure.” Jason shrugged, eating the brownie. “Having fun?”

Dick made a face. “So much fun.”

“Personally I think dying was more fun.” Jason sighed.

“You might be right.”

Jason scowled. “Yeah, you don’t get to make that joke.”

Dick looked surprised, and a little hurt. “Jason?”

“Fakers don’t get DRC privileges.”

“DRC?”

“Dead Robins Club.” Jason stared him down. “Only real deaths need apply.”

“Oh.” Dick looked rather sick all of a sudden. “I should… I should go.”

He hurried away, narrowly missing Tim, who was approaching them swiftly.

“Heya Timbo.” Jason said, going back for a creme puff for himself.

Silence.

Jason turned. 

Tim was glaring at him. 

“What?” Jason goaded. “Don’t tell me you’ve forgiven him for pretending for a year.”

Tim’s face fell, confusion washing his features. “Pretending?”

“Yeah. Faking his death, making us all believe he was really gone?”

Tim just stared at him. “Jason… you do know he actually died, right?”

“What?”

“Luthor killed him. It was only for a few minutes, but still. Technically, Dick was in fact the third Robin to die and return.”

Jason felt like the floor was falling out of the old museum hall. His stomach clenched painfully, the finger foods roiling in his gut. 

Tim was still watching him. “I thought you knew. I found the footage a few months ago.”

Jason couldn’t breathe. 

He hurried out of the hall, ignoring Tim calling after him. Dick’s bike was gone, and for a moment, the thought of what he had said threatened to crush him.

“Todd.”

He turned to find Damian, white-faced, behind him. 

“Is it true? What Drake said?”

Jason shook his head helplessly. “Tim wouldn’t lie about something like that. And it explains so much. How weird Dick’s been acting, how he flinches every time the TV mentions Luthor’s name.”

“But we…” Damian swallowed. “We’ve been so angry with him.”

“I know.” Jason closed his eyes. “But he never said! No one did. He just… took it.”

“He didn’t want you to know.” Tim had found them again. He looked solemn and serious in his fine suit. “He’d prefer you hate him then know all of what happened around his death and Spyral mission.”

“How much has he been hiding?” Jason demanded.

Tim shook his head. “I can’t answer that for you. I only know some of it myself. If you want answers, you need to talk to Dick. And by talk, I mean listen. I’ll make your excuses. Go.”

Jason nodded gratefully to Tim and went for his own bike. “Coming, Gremlin?” He asked Damian.

The kid scurried after him, pulling himself onto the bike behind Jason, and they roared away.

Jason felt a surge of relief when he saw Dick’s bike parked near his apartment building. He really hadn’t wanted to try and track him through the city. He pulled his own bike into the spot next to Dick’s and let Damian swing off before he parked it. 

The kid stood waiting, biting his lip.

“Sup, demon?” Jason asked mildly.

Damian twisted his hands. “What do we say?”

Jason sighed, looking up at the building. “I don’t know, kiddo. But I think sorry might be a good start.”

They climbed the stairs slowly, Jason trying to think what to do if Dick decided to slam the door in their faces. He’d seen the look on Dick’s face before he left. This was going to take some groveling.

To his surprise, the door opened for them easily. 

“Jay, Dami.” Dick’s voice was guarded but not hostile. “Did I forget something at the party?”

“Can we come in?” Jason asked. “We need to talk to you.”

Dick hesitated for just a second, and then let them in. “Bat business?” He asked, retreating to the kitchen and beginning to mess with something. “Tea or cocoa?”

“Tea, please.” Jason responded. “And sort of.”

“Sort of?” Dick snorted. “It’s either Bat business or it’s not. They don’t mix.”

“Well, it seems we haven’t been doing a good job of that lately.” Jason answered. “Considering we’ve been punishing Dick for something Batman and Nightwing did.”

Dick froze.

“Were you ever going to tell us you actually died, Dickie?”

“How…” Dick swallowed. “How did you find out?”

“Tim.”

Dick closed his eyes. “All of you know, then?”

“Cass might not. But I wouldn’t bet on it staying that way.”

Dick nodded, his eyes still shut. “So, what now?”

Jason stared at him. “What now? Dickie, you died! And no one even thought to let us know it was real!”

“You’d already grieved once.” Dick said, his voice incredibly soft. “I wasn’t going to reopen old wounds. I just wanted to move on.” 

Damian made a pained noise, and Jason nearly echoed it. 

“Except we didn’t let you, did we.” Jason sat down heavily on the couch. Guilt swirled and pooled in his stomach. “We kept punishing you.”

“It’s not your fault. I could have said something.” Dick answered.

“Or we could have asked, Dick.” Jason said firmly. “We just assumed you’d be callous enough to pretend, after what happened to me, to Damian.” Realization hit him. “Oh. That’s why, isn’t it? Or at least, part of it.”

Damian looked at him in confusion. “What is why, Todd?”

Jason looked at the kid gently. “You were dead. Dick was unmasked. Luthor killed him. That’s… a lot to try to come back from.”

Dick sighed, moving into the living room and taking a seat on the opposite end of the couch. “You’re right, in a way. That was part of it. My life here… it was in ruins. And even before that… wearing the cowl. I felt so lost. So unsure of myself. I knew I was going to die, even before Luthor did his thing. I was strapped to a bomb that was linked to my heart. Death was the only way out. And I was ready.”

Damian sobbed, and Dick held out his arms. The kid tucked himself against Dick’s shoulder, Dick holding him tightly. 

“I missed you so, so much kiddo.” Dick murmured. He looked up at Jason, grief and regret in his eyes. “And I loved you and Tim, but neither of you needed me in the way Dami had. You had your own teams, and friends, and missions. Leaving you would hurt, but I thought you’d move on and be okay eventually. So when Luthor killed me, I was okay with it.”

Jason swallowed the lump in his throat.

“And then I woke up.” Dick took a deep breath. “I never really expected to, but I had a second chance at life. Except not really. Because I woke up to be told that you were all already grieving me. That you’d been told I died, permanently. That I was needed for a mission, that I needed to pretend to still be dead for it to work.”

“You still should have told us!” Jason said pleadingly. “You know we can keep secrets.”

Dick shrugged. “And what would that have done, Jason? Letting you know I was alive just to leave, for what was most likely a very long time, on a mission I probably wouldn’t return from? Make you grieve me twice?”

The lump in Jason’s throat was growing.

“I regret it.” Dick looked away. “I never wanted to hurt you all. And if I’d known Damian would return to us while I was away…” His arms tightened around Damian.

Jason sighed. He took a deep breath, pulling in all his anger and hurt and frustration, letting it pool deep in his gut. 

And then he breathed out, releasing all the pent up emotions.

“I forgive you, Dick.” He said, softly.

Dick covered his face with one hand.

Jason scooted closer, wrapping an arm around his elder brother. “And I’m so, so sorry.”

“We love you, Grayson.” Damian said softly.

Dick’s brothers wrapped their arms around him tight. They didn’t let go for a very long time.


End file.
